NE of Sherpur.

Photograph of a view of Sherpur in Kabul taken by the Bengal Sappers and Miners, an engineering arm of the Indian Army in c. 1879 during the course of the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-80). The Sherpur Cantonment was situated a mile north of the city of Kabul, Afghanistan; it was planned by the Amir of Afghanistan, Shere Ali Khan (1825-1879) as the main winter headquarters of his army. The main wall of the cantonment was over a mile and a half long with massive towers at regular intervals for artillery. In October 1879 British forces under General Roberts entered Kabul and occupied the fortress after the death of the British resident Cavagnari and his mission during the Second Afghan War (1879-80). Roberts was tasked with establishing a line of communication with British forces via the Khyber Pass, securing his force at Kabul and punishing those responsible for the death of Cavagnari. The cantonment offered a secure and easily defendable position close to the city; it was large enough to accommodate the troops and provided easy access eastwards through the Khyber Pass towards Peshawar, northwards towards Kohistan and westwards into the Chardeh Plain.